Wedding Invitations|Cheap Wedding Invitations|Wedding Invitation

The wedding invitation is the vanguard of your bridal experience. It introduces your guests to the theme and formality of your wedding and it gives them a peek into the flavor and personality of your relationship with your future spouse. It is the first chance you will have to make an impression as a couple on many of your guests. Innovative invitations are myriad, but if you want to make a real impression on your guests you may want to consider unique wedding invitation packaging.

Thai silk boxes couch your invitation in elegance. They look a little like they could house jewels or fancy watches. The basic style has a washed silk exterior that opens with a little clasp. Inside rests your invitation. There are many variations on this theme. You can order or design silk pouches with jeweled clasps, book and pocket folios that fold out into two or three segments, and boxes embellished with ribbons and jewels of your choosing. This is a truly royal presentation for your wedding invitation. It would be fitting for a black tie, celebrity, or ultra-formal wedding.

On the other end of the spectrum are electronic invitations. Websites such as evite.com offer still and animated invitations set to music. You can choose from humorous, religious, emotional, and other themes to imbue your invitation with life and personality. These invitations would be useful for a budget wedding where it is important to keep costs low, as many options on evite.com are free of cost. Electronic invitations would also be appropriate for a casual wedding or a wedding for a couple who share a love of computer technology or the internet.

DVD wedding invitations are a kind of hybrid between paper and electronic invitations. They come with a traditional paper wedding invitation insert, but also include a video or photo montage of the wedding couple inviting guests to attend the wedding. This could be a video the couple has made themselves, introducing guests to the couple for the first time, or it could simply be a nice keepsake for the guests: a video/photo favor before the wedding.

Traditional invitations can be layered and embellished to create unique and personalized wedding invitations. Paper invites can be embellished with anything from collage to glitter, creating invitations with personality and flair. Some ideas for embellishments are photographs of the bridal couple, dried or pressed flowers, and tiny crystals or jewels. Invitations can also be decoupaged to create an interesting effect, or they can be layered with interesting backgrounds, calligraphied invitations, and inset or cut-out decorations. The layered treatment creates a stand-out effect that can look eclectic, stylized, or minimalist depending on the desired result.

Playing with wedding invitation packaging is a fun way to show yourselves as a couple to your guests. It is the perfect opportunity to introduce a wedding theme, and it sets the tone for the ceremony and reception. Truly original wedding invitations are works of art worthy of framing and can make touching heirlooms to pass on to the next generation. Let your imagination run, and use original invitation packaging to create wedding invitations that are as unique and full of life as you are.

Possibly you have had that fear: half a second after your vehicle door locks shut, you realize that the car is all secure and your keys are inside the car. What to do? How can you now make it home? Do you remember if you have a replacement set of keys? All of those things float through your brain aside from the most immediate conundrum: How are you going to unlock the doors?

The easiest open your car is to locate your duplicate set of keys. Generally, at the time you purchase your car, you get two sets of keys. One set you keep with you, and the duplicate ought to be squirreled away somewhere secure. If you know a neighbor who can retrieve the spare key and bring it to your car, then all you have lost is a bit of time stuck by your car, and a little pride.

However, maybe you don't have any friends able to run this errand, or maybe your replacement key is missing. Your second best option is to call your insurance, if you have road service, or any roadway assistance service. If your vehicle is still covered by the standard warranty, then you probably still have a roadway assistance included. If that doesn't apply to you, but you or anyone in the vehicle belongs to a towing club, then that provider can drive to your location to help.

Your third alternative for help is to hire a locksmith. He will quickly come out and unlock your car door without the key. But, that kind of assistance call could cost more dough than you are ready to spend, specifically after everyday business hours.

Your last alternative is to find a way to pop the lock on the spot. You will want to try this on a car door that isn't used on a regular basis, perhaps the back passenger side, just in case something goes wrong. You will need an unfolded wire clothes hanger, or something that resembles it, with a long, slim arm and a strong bend on one end. If it's dark you will require a flashlight or other light source. You also will most likely require something small but unimportant, for instance a ballpoint pen.

Pry the black, rubbery weather strip on the bottom of the window and hold the spot open by wedging the pen or pencil into place. Peer down along the gap you created into your car door. You will see an aluminum rod that works the door lock. Very deliberately shimmy the hanger hook-side down into the space in the door. Maneuver the hook to grab the iron rod and shimmy the metal rod in the same direction that the door unlocks from the interior. When the car unlocks, very deliberately slide the clothes hanger and the pencil out of the door and open your vehicle.

The best course of action is to put in place a back-up plan in case your keys get locked in the car again!

The key with a free taste is to not sell too hard. Give free information that makes the recipient want more. Build the relationship so that people will become familiar with your style and what they can expect from you. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. The purpose of the free taste is to allow them to get to know you.

Take a look at these ideas for inspiration in developing your own free taste.

• An author could offer a chapter of a book just released


• A musician could offer a free download of a song


• A motivational speaker could offer a complimentary ticket to an event they are speaking at


• A business coach could offer an invitation to a free teleseminar


• A pizza restaurant promoting online ordering could offer a coupon for free appetizer


• A camping store could offer a checklist of items to take on a camping trip


• A software developer could offer a free download to a trial version of software


• A cleaning company could offer a list of "green" cleaning products


• A photographer could offer a free download of a screen saver of their work


• A virtual assistant could offer a time tracking log


• A business tax accountant could offer a schedule of all tax payments due


• A wedding planner could offer a timeline for handling all the wedding details


• An insurance company could offer a home inventory worksheet


• A financial advisor could offer a retirement savings calculator


• A realtor could offer tips for making your home more attractive to buyers


• A general contractor could offer a home maintenance checklist

A well crafted free taste can be used for a long time. It's the key to getting prospects into your marketing funnel and onto your mailing list. Be sure to set up a system that captures an email address before you release the free offer. You want the ability to contact those prospects interested in your offering again. The free taste is only the beginning of the relationship, don't let it be the end.

If you need help in creating and implementing your free taste, enlist the help of a qualified virtual assistant. Your virtual assistant can take your ideas and turn them into a polished product for you to offer to your prospects. Once you have people on your mailing list, your virtual assistant can create and implement a marketing plan to keep your business visible on a continual basis.

Decorating a bridal shower can be simple and fun. Here are some tips to follow:

1. Follow a theme
If you're concerned with your party seeming "put together" and having continuity from start to finish, it is a good idea to have a bridal shower theme. Themes can be as simple as choosing a few colors you like and threading them throughout the party, or as elaborate as showcasing a specific designer. Most themes are fun and full of potential.

Some popular themes follow:
*Honeymoon: decorate with posters, photos, and items showcasing the location of the bridal couple's honeymoon
*Lingerie: host an adult pajama party and invite a salesperson to do a lingerie demonstration for your bridal shower. Decorate in boudoir silks and reds or in a fifties pajama party theme
*Stock the Pantry: each guest is instructed to bring a gift that can be used to stock the pantry or kitchen of the new couple. Decorate with potted herbs, herbal prints, and flowers.
*Kiss the Cook: for a woman with culinary leanings, have a chef do a demonstration at the bridal shower. For a specific niche of cooking, decorate with the country of origin in mind (eg. France, Italy). For a general cooking theme, decorate with kitchen utensils and retro food prints.

2. Use food as decoration
Potted and fresh herbs make good decorations. Appetizers and desserts can be arranged in tiers. Petit-fours and tea sandwiches or cookies make especially pretty tiered sculptures. Certain foods, like cheese fondue or chocolate fountains, are decorative enough to become centerpieces on their own. Using the food to fill out the decorations keeps both costs and cleanup down and makes a unique look.

3. Create tablescapes
Decorating at a party where food will be served need not be as simple as throwing a tablecloth over a table, setting out place settings, and serving lunch. Take time to contrast and combine colors, textures, and patterns to build a layered, finished look. Use a bold tablecloth in one of the theme colors. Layer with placemats of two more contrasting colors. Integrate antique, thrift-store, or found place settings, vases, and silverware for a unique look. For an example of what this looks like, watch Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee on The Food Network. She creates a special tablescape for each show to go along with the dishes she has made.

4. Use the entire room
Don't forget to use lighting, music, and room elements to aid the decoration of the party. Changing the lighting by using table lamps, fairy lights, or candles can create an incredible difference in mood and ambiance. You can also use or depart from the season you're in to add to the decoration of the party. Allow the scene outside of the window to become a decorative touch. Bring the season inside with found nature objects and flowers.

What you need most when decorating for a bridal shower is creativity and an open mind. No matter your budget, you can make a bridal shower look great. Use what you have, play up the best parts, and tie it together with color or a theme.

Flowers are perfect for any occasion. They are beautiful, fragrant and lighten up any room. It is no wonder, brides pay particular attention to the types of flowers they want at their weddings. Wedding flowers play a big role in the theme of the wedding. However, flowers are seasonal even though new technology allows almost all flowers to be available all year-round, the costs vary from season to season. So, if they are seasonal flowers, they are much cheaper and much more readily available than unseasonal flowers. Of course, people can not plan their wedding based on flowers.

One of the most popular wedding flowers is Calla Lilies. These beautiful, white flowers are perfect for weddings. They complement the brides dress and look lovely, if used in a bouquet. The most wonderful thing about these flowers is their ability to withstand heat. Most couples opt for a summer wedding, as the warmth and sunshine brings out the happiness of the couple. Calla lilies are especially complementary to summer weddings as they do not wilt easily. They can last longer than regular flowers.

Another wedding flower you may want to consider are Gardenias. Gardenias are very popular choice for wedding flowers. They are wonderful for corsages and their lovely fragrance adds to the beauty of the flower. Gardenias work very well when placed around a closed wedding hall or inside wedding. They are usually placed in shallow bowls of water. Even though Gardenias are costly, not many are needed to show off their splendor. Just a few provide enough fragrance to last the entire course of your wedding. They are also popular when it comes to bouquets as they complement other flowers.

Orchids are probably seen at every wedding and rightfully so. They are available all year-round, so finding some for your wedding is not at all a problem. Orchids are delicate, however they are resistant to heat also. They can retain moisture for long periods of time and make beautiful flowers for decoration purposes.

If you are hoping to have a wedding during the winter, you might want to stay clear of Calla lilies and orchids. They are strong and long-lasting flowers, but they can bruise and wilt easily in cooler places. A flower that is both beautiful and an ideal choice for weddings is tulip. Although tulips are available around the year, there is a drop in the price during the early winter months of the year. Tulips can be used during the summer too, but they are vulnerable to heat and are likely to wilt and lose petals fast. They can last longer in cooler temperatures. A fun fact about tulips is that they actually grow even after they have been cut. So, from the time they are placed around the wedding till the end of the reception, they might actually have bloomed a little more than when they are cut.

Lastly, we have the most popular flower: Rose. Roses are available throughout the year and come in hundreds of different varieties. They are a wonderful choice for wedding as they symbolize love. They can be used as center pieces, in bouquets or even as corsages. Roses may be fragile during summer, because they are more prone to bloom early. However, they can be used during winter as boutonnieres.

If you'd like to add a slice of your heritage to your wedding ceremony, you're not alone. Millions of couples are embracing their ancestry and choosing to incorporate some of the best traditions from around the world in their ceremonies here at home. Here are some of the most interesting wedding traditions you might find if you attended a wedding in Germany, Russia or Ireland. If you or your family are from one of these countries, why not try adding some phrases from your ancestor's native tongue in your wedding vows for a truly memorable touch!

Germany

To fund her future wedding, when a baby girl is born in Germany, several trees are planted and tended throughout her childhood. When she is to be married, the trees are sold to pay for her wedding and to act as a dowry. To help defray costs of a honeymoon, friends and family of the wedding couple will make a newspaper or newsletter featuring pictures and articles about the couple's youth. This newsletter is sold at the wedding.

A German wedding can last up to three days. There is first a civil ceremony, then the following day is a traditional ceremony. Finally on the third day is a religious ceremony. Guests bring old dishes to the second night's party to break, and the couple sweeps them up. This symbolizes that their home will never be broken.

As the wedding couple leaves the church, they throw coins to the children who have attended. A customary tradition is for the best man to steal the bride and take her to a local pub, where they drink champagne and hide.

The groom must find them, and pay for all they drank. Also, before leaving the reception hall, guests block the door and demand payment from the groom (usually in the form of a promise of a party) before they allow the wedding couple to leave for their honeymoon.

Russia

What are referred to in western society as wedding rings are in Russia called engagement rings. These plain gold bands are worn on the ring finger of the right hand. When a person is widowed or divorced, they will move the ring to the left hand. The groom pays for the ring, although the couple chooses them together.

A holdover from the days of communism is a procession of cars that arrives at the ceremony. Since large cars were a sign of wealth, effort is made to rent one for the bride and groom. In addition, guests to the wedding will each drive to the wedding alone to increase the size of the procession. The groom traditionally takes the bride to the church, but before he is allowed to do so, he must pass a series of challenges put up by her family and friends, including trivia questions, physical obstacles, and even an actual climb up to the bride's window.
Marriage ceremonies are held in the licensing office, and must be witnessed. Although church weddings are held, they have no legal significance, so they are often held after the legal ceremony. At the reception, it is customary to drink to excess, with a series of toasts offered to the bride and groom. Prior to leaving the reception hall, the bride is stolen away by the friends of the groom. He must then locate her and pay her ransom. This can happen several times, so the groom must be ever watchful of his new wife.

Ireland

Instead of wedding bands, more and more Irish couples are choosing to wear the Claddagh ring. This design has a heart being held on either side with a hand, and a crown on top. Wearing the ring on the left hand with the heart facing you indicates marriage, wearing it with the heart facing away means you are single. The ring may be used as an engagement ring or a wedding band, and is often passed from mother to daughter.

As the bride and groom leave the church, they throw a handful of coins into the crowd of waiting guests. The bride will carry a horseshoe with her for luck throughout her marriage. This is usually sewn into the dress, although it might be a plastic cake decoration today. Truly traditional Irish weddings are held only from April through October, but never in the month of May due to superstition. This half of the year is considered the "light" half. Mead, which is a honey wine, is served at Irish receptions, and is believed to be the source of the word honeymoon. It is thought to increase virility and fertility, and is therefore in great abundance at weddings. As the bride and groom leave the reception hall, there are often bagpipes stationed just outside to play them to their waiting car, which whisks them away to their honeymoon spot.

A typical Ukrainian wedding is very colorful and exciting. It is usually an intricate affair that lasts between 2 and 3 days, but there are also a number of traditions that take place before the actual wedding. These are as important to a Ukraine bride as the ceremony itself.

First there is the "dohlyaduny" or the formal engagement. The groom comes to the bride's house with his friends and asks the parents of the Ukraine bride for permission to marry her. The custom is purely formal considering everything is arranged beforehand, but it dates back to ancient times when the "dohlyaduny" was an official proposal to the Ukraine bride. Her parents are the ones to decide whether or not she will marry her suitor.

The length of the engagement varies from bride to bride, but it is usually at least a month and a half, and will range up to a year or more. During this time much has to be done to get ready for the ceremony. A couple makes the lists of the guests, and chooses the restaurant and considers the menu that everyone can enjoy.

They also have to choose the photographer and videographer, as well as the person who makes the toast to the married couple. Choosing the church for the wedding is also an important decision. A Ukraine bride then chooses her wedding dress; usually a white color but lately, ivory and pale pink dresses have become a popular choice.

There are times that a Ukraine bride wears extraordinary garments called a "vyshyvanka", a national Ukrainian embroidered shirt. An indispensable part of a Ukraine bride's dress is the bridal veil. Though in many European countries it is a matter of taste, in Ukraine it is an absolute must, and something that is taken very seriously. The groom's clothes don't have to meet any particular requirements, but he usually wears a suit and tie even though he could get married in just a shirt and pants without the tie.

The wedding itself usually takes place on a Friday or Saturday. As with most American traditions, the Ukraine bride and her groom have to spend the night before separately. The groom has his bachelor or stag party, and the bride invites her friends for a "divych-vechir" or bachelorette party.

The morning of the ceremony the groom goes to his fiance's house and pays what is called the "vykup" or a ransom for a bride. According to another tradition there is only one bridesmaid, and she thinks out different contests for the broom to do, and if he fails he has to pay the "vykup".

Once he passes, he may see his bride. The wedding procession all goes to the civilian registry office where you register to get married, even if you have the wedding in a church. To have an actual church wedding is very important to Ukraine brides because by Orthodox beliefs, a wedding in a church means that the couple will be together in heaven, no matter whether the love lasts or not.

After the ceremony is completed, the couple and their guests will have about 3 to 5 hours in which they spend taking pictures. The dinner is then held either at a restaurant, or at home, depending on the number of guests. The Ukrainian bride is the center of attention of course and people spend time trying to steal her shoes, or the bride herself.

It is a tradition that brings fun and laughter to the ceremony, and the person who manages to do this can ask the bridesmaid or best man for anything he wants. The dancing and singing follows and usually lasts until dawn. The wedding continues into the next day for more fun and dancing. A good time is absolutely had by all.

What is a wedding website?

A wedding website is a site where all your wedding information is held - making life easier for you and your guests. These can either be built yourself or put together easily using templates available through different companies. You'll get a URL (website address) which leads to the homepage of your site where you can click through to the other pages.

Why have a wedding website?

Save time - The biggest reason for having a wedding website is to save time for both you and your guests. Information on the website can be more comprehensive and easier to use than information sheets - eg direct links to hotels, directions and maps. If you choose a website with an online RSVP/planning service then you'll save time when handling your replies. Think about being able to click through to see your list of RSVPs rather than having to deal with a heap of paper. Your guests will find this much easier to respond to - plus there's less risk of them being lost in the post.

Save money and paper - You may not need to post information sheets at all if your guests are all techno savvy, or be able to just send a few. This is an environmentally friendly benefit and also saves you the cost of some stamps.

Share the fun! - Another reason for a website is to include your guests in your wedding - by sharing photos, having a message board, details of the wedding party you'll get the excitement started before the big day! You can also theme the website to match other elements of your wedding, to give a coordinated feel.

Are they expensive?

The cost varies from free to hundreds of $/£s. Most of sites that allow you to pick templates and have photo storing functionality cost around £30-£60 or $60-$120. This can be a great addition to your day when you consider what you and your guests gain from it.

Are they just for computer experts?

Not at all! It's easy to get started by picking your template. Then you just type in the text you want to go on each page and add any photos. You can log in and edit your site at any time - adding more information as you get it.

Which one should I use?

We've trialled 5 of the most popular providers and compared them on the important areas. You can see the results below. We found that if you want a free site, weddingpath will provide a basic option that's useful to some people. If you're prepared to spend a little bit of your budget, however, we found other options that are easier to use, give you significantly more functionality and be more likely to give you a design to fit in with the look and feel of your wedding. Overall we felt it was worth spending the little bit extra on myevent or wedquarters - if you're spending the time inputting information anyway, then you gain a lot more from these options.

Trial Results

Summary Comments

wedquarters [http://www.raisedglass.com/redirect.php?x=101] - Best budget option. Easy to setup but not as many features as others.

weddingwindow - All the bells and whistles but as a result, a little compicated to use.

eWedding - Possibly a bit expensive but if you want your own URL this could work well for you.

wedpagedesigns - Simple to setup but only has basic designs and limited features.

myevent [http://www.raisedglass.com/redirect.php?x=105] - Although expensive, it has loads of features and some great designs. We love the facility that allows guests to upload photos!

weddingpath - Great as a freebie but lacking in features and choice of designs/colours.

For the full table of results, please see [http://www.raisedglass.com/articles/wedding_websites.php#table]

Glossary of Functionality

Advertising - free wedding websites gain revenue by having banner advertising throughout - both for themselves and 3rd parties. Domain - this is what your guests will type in to get to your site. In some cases it will be [http://www.yournames.weddingwebsite.com], in some you even have the option of [http://www.yournames.com] Photo sharing - you can upload digital photos of you and your other half, wedding and honeymoon, or planning photos. Planning tools - another time saver - extra tools you can use for planning your wedding. The best sites have everything you need, budget tools, meal choice tracking etc - so you don't need to go anywhere else. RSVP tracking - guests can click on their name and in some cases select a menu option. You receive an email, but more importantly can log in at any time to see a tabulated guest list - showing who's replied, yes, no and meal options. Security - all sites have security so that guests can only enter if they have been sent the link. You can only edit your site using your password. Templates - you pick a template design that will appear on every page of your wedding website. In some cases you can choose from around 40 attractive templates, each with different colour options, so you have a good chance of finding a design and colour that fits with the theme of your wedding.

A marriage or wedding is probably the single occasion that involves countless symbolism and beliefs. Thus, preparation for a wedding could be lavishly strenuous and taxing. From the smallest detail of the bride's fingernails up to the decorations set on the wedding car is supposed to be given definite arrangement.

In the area of the wedding car, the task of decorating is traditionally left to the best man that sometimes could turn out funny or weird and can sometimes be unfavorable for the newly-wed couple. Nowadays, many couples who are quite meticulous and like to be in charge of everything that may occur in their wedding preparation also embark on decorating and sprucing up their wedding vehicle.

Aside from the taste that governs the wedding car's decoration, particular discretion should also be applied into action to prevent possible damage to the vehicle or exposing the passengers (the just-married couple) to accidents and dangers when driving home from the reception.

Appropriate supplies and materials needs to be used to protect or preserve the condition of the car. A complete wedding car decorating kit that includes everything you needs from streamers, to pompoms to markers, balloons and confetti may be procured through online stores but single purchase of each necessary material may made from local craft stores. Instead of using a liquid shoe polish or permanent ink marker which are difficult to remove from the car, use liquid chalk or window marker instead. These materials can easily be removed by using soap and water. Use the liquid chalk or window marker to write a message to indicate that you have just tied the knot such as the classic "Just married" or "We're just married". There are also magnetic signs or vinyl window clings that may be attached to the windows and can be peeled off without sticking. These alternatives come in assortment of shapes like hearts and wedding bells, plus they can also be personalized to include the couple's names or additional sayings.

Aside from the writings, another distinct decoration of the wedding vehicle is are the ribbon and/or flowers. The ribbon to be purchased and tied to the car must be at least 2 inches wide. Real flowers of silk ones may be attached to the wedding car with the ribbon. Balloons are also good decorations on the car. The vehicle's antenna, should it have one may be decorated with a streamer, bulb or a flower. Trying out a classical wedding car practice by tying some empty beer cans using strong and durable ropes or strings on the rear bumper of the car.

As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that the car window be not heavily decorated as this may obstruct or block the driver's view out of the window. Confetti and glitters in the interior part of the car may seem appealing and fun but when it is already cleaning time, those decors may take weeks to be completely ridden of.

A wedding vehicle is not really a necessity in a marriage but since this is a special event in the couple's life that they will reminisce forever, some really take pains in providing such decorated modes of transportation.

More and more people have started to think seriously about taking out wedding insurance. As with any other product or service, weddings also depend on a number of factors to run smoothly. There is a certain risk that the key people related with the wedding have to take if they want to conduct the wedding without opting for insurance.

There are a number of factors that might affect the wedding event on a given day. These include the inclement weather which might completely spoil the event, various engaged vendors not being able to reach the event due to unavoidable reasons, close relatives of the bride and the groom falling ill and in the rarest of cases, either the bride or the groom falling ill. These are factors which might happen and disrupt the wedding event.

The average cost involved in arranging a wedding ceremony and the reception associated with it has crossed $30,000. So there is a huge sum involved in the event of an unforeseen cancellation of the wedding.

Wedding insurance can be obtained by paying a premium as low as $150. But some consider this an unnecessary expenditure added on top of the wedding expenditure. Others believe it is better for the couple to choose it to protect themselves from unforeseen occurrences.

There are a number of items that can be covered in wedding insurance. Wedding insurance covers the cancellation of wedding due to the inclement weather, sudden unavailability of the photographer and other vendors like the florist or caterer due to illness, postponement of the wedding due to some key people falling ill and any accidents happening in the reception hall due to electrical or mechanical failures.

There are also additional options available that can be opted for, though they are not compulsory, like liability coverage, which can be used to cover injuries happening to any guests in the wedding hall. Other optional coverage includes the coverage for a military serviceperson which covers the cancellation of the marriage event due to the some military development and the bride or the groom has to attend to their call.

Most of the coverage in wedding insurance is providing for the unforeseen cancellation of the wedding event. After a cancellation, the bride and the groom have to again go through the entire process and allocate sufficient money to the new event. If they had insured their original wedding, they could have received back some money, which could have been very useful for a rescheduled wedding.